Pratt's Bluff

..Metridium sp... White plumed anemone Metridium sp. Metridium sp.

..Phoca vitulina.. Harbor seal Harbor seal Harbor seal

..Castilleja sp... Paintbrush Paintbrush Paintbrush

Team photo Pratt's Bluff 2010 Team photo Pratt's Bluff 2010

Finn Gatewood led a team of nine at Pratt's Bluff on May 16th. After a long hike down the beach under beautiful blue skies the team went to work finding flatworms, barnacle eating nudibranchs with egg masses, and a large white plumed anemone (Metridium sp.). In addition to the intertidal invertebrates, they also spotted three great blue herons, a bald eagle, two harbor seals that had hauled out nearby for an afternoon of sunning, and paintbrush blooming along the bluff.

Pratt's Bluff - April 26, 2009

Pycnopodia

Pratt's Bluff team photo 2009

Aeolidia papillosa

Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis

The third beach monitored on April 26th was Pratts Bluff with Finn Gatewood at the helm. Finn and her team were delighted by the sunny weather. Kathy Fritts and Ingri Johnson both listed the discovery of a shaggy mouse nudibranch on their list of highlights. Virginia Allen liked the green sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) and Charlie Seablom stayed busy snapping photos of the sunflower stars (Pycnapodia helianthoides).

Pratt's Bluff

Red rock crab with molt

Gobiesox meandricus

Bubble snail

Pratt's Bluff team photo 2008

May 8th found the Pratt's Bluff team checking out their stretch of beach, located on Whidbey Island's east side near Greenbank. Finn Gatewood led the team and reports that her highlight for the day was finding an opalescent nudibranch (Hermissenda crassicornis). Two other nudibranch species were also discovered that morning, a shaggy mouse nudibranch (Aeolidia papillosa) and a barnacle-eating nudibranch (Onchidoris bilamellata) as well as a bubble snail (Haminoea sp.) which is a nudibranch cousin. While Libby Haywood was fascinated by a newly molted and still soft red rock crab (Cancer productus) found near its outgrown and discarded exoskeleton, Ken Urstad was more focused on the gunnels and clingfish (Gobiesox maeandricus) found concealed beneath the beach rocks. Kathy Fritts and Doris Hood brought along friends who were amazed as the hidden life on the beach was revealed. The team documented nine species of seaweed and more than forty species of animals.